Cotton chopper and cultivator



(N0 Mbdel.) v 2 SheetsSheet 1.

B. J. CURRY, COTTON: CHOPPER AND GULTIVAT OB. No. 284,389. I PatentedSept. 4, 1883.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheen 2.v

BQJ. CURRY. mu CHOPPER AND GUIITITVATOR.

N0.'Z 84,389. Patented Sept. 4, 18

li ado? helves or stocks.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BURWELL J. CURRY, or HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA.

COTTON CHOPPER AND CULTIVA T OR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 284,389, datedSeptember 4, 1883.

d Application filed November :20, 1882. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BURWELL J. GURR'Y,2Mcitizen of the United States, residing at Huntsville, in the county ofMadison and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Cotton Choppers and Cultivators; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomakeand use the same, reference being had to the accom panying drawings,andto the letters and figures of reference marked thereon ,which form apart of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in cotton choppers andcultivators; and

it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinaftermpre fully described and claimed. r

In the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is alongitudinal section of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a top view of thesame. Figs. 3 and 4 are details of the mechanism for lifting the hoes orchoppers. Fig. 5 is a side view of one of the jointed Fig. 6 is a viewof the same, showing thelower portion of the helve, or stock thrownback. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the helves or stocks with aclod-breaking bar attached thereto. Fig. 8 shows a perspective view ofthe hoes or choppers. Like letters of reference are used nate like partsin the several views The letter A designates the frame of the machine. Bis the axle. O O are the driving and supporting wheels attached thereto,and D is the drivers seat, which is arranged at the rear end of themachine.

The frame A supports a rock-shaft, (t,'t0 each end of which is rigidlysecured a shoe or link, b. This rock-shaft is arranged transtodesigversely and a short distance above and to the rear of the axle, asshown in Figs. 1 and 2. To the lower ends of the shoes or links 12 b, asshown in Fig. 3, are pivoted the straps 00, that support the transversechopper-bar d, which is also connected by rods 6 e to the lower ends ofthe swinging bars or straps f f, that are pivoted to the rearportion ofthe frame. Therock-shafta carries a segmental gear, that meshes with asimilar gear, h, which is connected with a lever, 2', having aspringpawl, is, adapted to engage with a rack, m, in the ordinarymanner. ItWill be seen that by throwing the lever t backward or forwardthe rock-shaft a will be acted upon by the gears g 72., so as to turnthe shoes or links I) b, thereby raising or lowering the straps c c andattached chopper-bar. The chopper-bar is oscillated by means of itsconnection, through the rods 0 o, with the eccentrics p p on the ends ofa shaft, E, which carries a pinion, F, that meshes with a gear-wheel, G,on the countershaft H. Thisshaft H isprovided at one end with a pinion,I, that meshes with a gearwheel, K, on the main shaft or axle. It isobvious that as the machine is moved forward the motion of thedriving-wheels will be transmitted, through the axle and connectedgear-. ing, to the eccentric shaft E, thus causing the eccentrics p pand rods 0 0 to impart an oscillating or reciprocating movement to thechopper-bar d, which is supported by the swinging bars or straps c f androds 6, as before described. The shaftH is provided with a clutchmechanism, L, of any suitable or ordinary constructiomby which the partsmay be thrown in and out of gear, as desired.

The choppers or hoe-blades'M M may have either straight or curvedcutting edges, as shown in Fig. 8, and are securely bolted to the helvesP, as shown in Fig. 5. These helves are each provided with aheel, s,againstwhich the rear edge of the hoe or chopper blade is made to rest,and a foot, t, that rests on the blade and is perforated for the passageof the securing-bolt t, which is held by suitable nuts. The upper endsof the helves P are fitted into the slotted or bifurcated ends of thestocks Q Q, which are securely attached to the oscillating chopper-barin any suitable manner. Astrong iron bolt or pin, 20, is passed throughthe connected ends of the helve P and stock Q, thus forming a pivot onwhich the helve may turn, as shown in Fig. 6. The parts P andQ are alsoconnected by means of abreakpin, z, composed of wood or othercomparatively frail material, the object being to arrange one of thepins or bolts so that it will break when the hoe is brought forciblyagainst anyhard or re- ICO sisting substance, thereby obviating injuryto the hoe, and leaving its helve connected tothe stock by the remainingpin or bolt, so that thehoe willbe turned backward without being brokenor'injnred, as before described. The choppers or hoes M, when inposition, are arranged to project alternately at different distances, asshown in Fig. 2, so as to break the line of concussion when at work.These hoes may be placed at any desired distance apart, and inay be soarranged that when the machine is used as a cultivator by drawing itlongitudinally with the rows the hoes may be operated on either or bothsides of one or more rows at the same time.

In order to adapt the machine for use in crushing clods or pulverizingthe soil for grain or grass sowing, the hoes M may be detached from thehelves P, and a bar, R, of iron or other material, be secured thereto ina similar manner, as shown in Fig. 7. When the machineis driven over afield, this bar is caused to oscillate or vibrate against the soil, thuscrushing and pulverizing all the clods in the surface in a mannersuperior to the action of an ordinary harrow.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the frame A, having axle B and wheels 0 O, therock-shaft a, having links M) and segment-gear g, the oscillatingchopper-bar d, straps 0c, segment-gear h, lever i, pawl 70, and rack m,whereby the chopper-bar is raised or lowered, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination of the frame A, having axle B and wheels 0 C, theoscillating chopper-bar d, swinging bars or straps c c and f f,-

connecting-rods e e and o 0, eccentrics p p, shaft E, having pinion F,shaft H, having gear G and pinion I, and the gear K on the main shaft oraxle, whereby the chopper-bar is operated, substantially as described.

BURWELL J. CURRY.

Witnesses:

J. VAN VALKENBURG, v I. R. J ONES.

